


The Trials of Love

by sokki09



Category: Beauty and the Beast - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-08 10:10:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11079432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sokki09/pseuds/sokki09
Summary: Belle needs a way out when Gaston refuses to take no for an answer. Adam just happens to be that way out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love modern aus and fake relationships are one of my favorite tropes!! This is just a sample I guess, so if you like it let me know! I have a few ideas of how to continue it, but i need some motivation hahah 
> 
> Title is from evermore, it's the best thing I could thing of at 1 am. Could possibly be changed later idk

“Belle!” 

Barely able to suppress a groan, Belle turns to see Gaston gleaming at her. He's wearing his football jersey, again, and Belle wonders to herself if he ever takes it off and actually washes it.

"Hi, Gaston." She forces a smile, and hopes it doesn't look too fake. She truly shouldn't even act mannerly around him, given the fact that he seemed to be completely smitten. Maybe if she acted like a bitch he would back off, but when she thought about it, she couldn't ever not be nice to someone, even if that someone couldn't seem to take "no" for an answer. "Can I help you with something?"

“Go on a date with me?” He leans against the bookcase she's been reorganizing for the past two hours. 

Her hand pauses on a book as she rolls her eyes. “Can I help you with something, in the library?”

Gaston gives her a flabbergasted look. “You work here?” 

Belle walks back over to the rolling cart with the old books being taken off the shelves. “Yes, Gaston. I have since the beginning of the semester.”

“Hm. I thought you just liked hanging out here.” He states.

“I do, which is why I might as well work here.” She says.

Belle has told him time and again these simple things about herself, hoping that maybe he would show a different side of himself; different from the shallow conversations he'd put forth every time she had talked to him. 

“So Belle, what do you say we get some dinner tonight?" He says, completely changing the subject back in his favor.

Belle puts down all the books and finally turns to face the man. "I'm sorry, Gaston, but I cannot go on a date with you."

"And why not? Many girls wish to be in your place, yet you reject me!”

Belle winced. She knew where this was going and so she contemplated her options. She could run. Flee into the back work room, lock the door, and hope he loses interest and leaves. Or she could come up with yet another weak excuse that would hold him off for a day or two. 

She must've been silent for too long— trying to find a lie that will work for more than 48 hours— because next thing she knows, Gaston is speaking again.

“Why won't you date me? Give me one good reason!” 

Belle stalled for as long as she could, looking everywhere but Gaston. She looked down the aisle of books, to see Adam coming toward her.

Adam Beaumont was a grade-A jerk in Belle’s opinion. He frequented the library just about as much as she did, but he came from a rich family, meaning he didn't need to work alongside her, but that didn't stop him from trying to constantly get under her skin. 

But just because he happened to love annoying her, didn't mean he was worse than Gaston, and before Belle knew it, she was blurting out, “Adam!” just loud enough for him to look her way.

He strode over to her with a puzzled expression on his face. 

“Adam’s my boyfriend.” She lied, sliding her arm around his torso, looking up at his with what she hoped was a 'help me' expression. “That's why I can't go out with you, Gaston, I’m dating Adam.”

Belle watched Adam’s confusion turn to realization, before his mouth curled into a thin smirk, and he wrapped his arm around her.

“That's right, Belle’s my girl.” He told Gaston, giving her a squeeze.

Gaston’s shoulders visibly slumped, and he threw a glare at Adam. 

“Well, then I guess I'll see you around Belle. I've got to go.” He said before walking off, defeated. 

Belle sighed in relief and slid away from Adam’s side, heading back over to her rolling cart. Gaston had never fled that quickly before, and she was proud of her own quick thinking.

She noticed Adam standing there still, so she turned back to him, as she picked up a few books. 

"Hey, thanks for playing along." Belle comments. 

Adam looks over at her with his signature smirk, "Don't worry about it, sweetheart."

Belle shoots him a look; the same look he receives every time he calls her sweetheart to piss her off. 

She goes back to the shelves, assuming he left, when she hears his voice again, “So, does he always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Ask you to dinner or whatever. I could hear the whole conversation, and it's not the first time I've heard it. Does he ever give up?” Adam asks. 

Belle sighs, ignoring the fact that Adam witnessed it all. “He hasn't yet. I can't imagine he'll give up just because I said I'm dating someone.”

“What, does he think that everyone else is so terrible, so you'll come running to him?”

Belle can't help it, she laughs. “I guess so.”

He picks up a book from the shelf opposite of her, “Well, if you need any help, I guess I'm your man now. Here’s my number if you ever need it.” He write it down on an old receipt he finds in his pocket, and lays it on the top of the cart. 

Belle stands frozen, a look of shock covering her face. The gesture seemed strange, especially since they never talked other than picking on each other. Nonetheless, she stuffed it into her own dress pocket, still not saying a word. 

"I'll see you later, Belle..”

And with that, he smirks at her, before striding towards the door and exiting into the cold mid-evening air, leaving Belle confused at the warm feeling that spreads through her chest at the thought of what all just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn’t even two days later when Gaston showed up again at the library, this time when Belle wasn’t working. She had been curled up in one of the chairs in the back corner for who know’s how long when he appeared. She sighed, and tried to focus on the words on the page as he sat down in the chair next to her and attempted to persuade her to go out to dinner with him. 

“I have a boyfriend, Gaston.” She mentions, but it barely fazes him. 

“Who, that Adam guy? You’re still dating him?” Gaston asks.

She hadn’t spoken to Adam since that night two days ago, when he helped her get rid of Gaston. She had seen him in the library yesterday, but he was studying, and she didn’t want to bother him. Before the whole incident, she would never have even thought to go over to talk to him, but now she felt as if she was impatiently waiting until she had the chance to talk to him.

She nods, which only makes Gaston go into a huge, long rant about how much better of a boyfriend he would be than ‘that nerdy rich boy.’ Belle can see that he isn’t going to be stopping anytime soon, so she goes to take her bookmark out of her book, when she realizes what the bookmark is.

The crumpled receipt with Adam’s number on it. 

She quickly pulled out her phone, glancing over at Gaston, only to see him completely enamored by his own voice, before opening up the messaging app and typing Adam’s number into it.

She probably could’ve sent a calm, normal sounding text, but instead, she opted for “LIBRARY. HELP. NOW.”

She sent it before even thinking about it, and soon after realized he doesn’t have her number, so she followed it up with, “hi, this is belle, gaston won’t stop talking. pls help ASAP”

She winced at the contrast in messages, but hoped it would get the point across. Not even ten seconds later, her phone vibrated with a new message, “Miss me already?” Followed by another message soon after, “You’re lucky I just happen to be headed to the library myself. I have a few books I requested that just came in, pick them up at the front desk and meet me out front.” 

Belle breathed a sigh of relief. She stuffed her phone into her pocket, picked up her book and stood up from her chair.

“Sorry, but I have to go. I’m meeting Adam.” Belle cuts off Gaston’s rant.

She starts walking towards the front of the library, and Gaston followed her, “But Belle! What does he have that I don’t? Are you with him for his money? Is that it? Because I come from a wealthy family as well!”

Belle continues to walk as Gaston continues to plead his case. She makes it to the front desk and asks the head librarian, Mrs. Potts, for the books under Adam’s name, and Gaston stands next to her, finally having shut up for a moment. Mrs. Potts narrows her eyes, confused.

“Why are you picking up Adam’s books?” She asks as she walks into the back room full of requested materials. 

“I’m, uh, his girlfriend now.” Belle says.

She had hoped that the lie would only be told to Gaston, but seeing as he was standing right next to her, there wasn’t much she could do. 

“Really?” Mrs. Potts questions, enthusiastically, “Did you two finally get together?”

“Finally?” Belle asks, watching as the older woman puts the six books into a reusable bag before handing to her.

“Of course! My Chip and I had a bet going, I guess I owe him ten dollars!” When she sees Belle’s bewildered expression, she rolls her eyes with a smile, “Oh, please, it was only a matter of time before you two realized that all that nonsense bickering was just a front for your feelings for each other.”

“Oh.” Belle says, but inside she is confused and in awe of the things the librarian just said. 

Where did she even get the idea? 

Belle thanks Mrs. Potts for the books and looks over at Gaston, to see he’s deep in thought. She moves away from the counter and towards the doors, with him following after her. 

“Belle, you argue with me all the time, is that just a front for your feelings?” Gaston asks her as they walk.

When Belle shakes her head, he asks again, “Well why is it different?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs, “Adam’s just different, I guess. He likes reading just as much as I do. We fight, but it's all just nonsensical stuff.” Belle answers truthfully, surprising herself.

Gaston doesn’t reply, and they make it to the doors, just in time to see Adam walking up the front steps. He gives a side glare to Gaston before smiling at Belle, and taking the bag from her, murmuring thanks before planting a kiss on her lips, leaving Belle momentarily stunned. 

She quickly recovers though, and grabs hold of his hand before giving Gaston a farewell. They walk down the steps, still hand in hand, towards the street, where Belle sees Adam’s car. She’s seen him drive it, through envious eyes, because she knew that not only did he own that beautiful car, he also had an apartment off campus. 

“Need a ride back to the dorm?” Adam asks as he opens the back door and lays the bag on the floor, then opens the passenger door for her.

Normally Belle would just walk back, but the November chill has settled over the campus, so she says, “Yes, that would be lovely, thank you.”

They both get in, and Belle silently marvels at how nice of a car he has. The ride is silent, other than Adam asking for her dorm’s address, and her giving it to him. 

He pulls up to the curb, but before she can get out, he asks her, “Did he give you a hard time again?”

Belle rolls her eyes, “As always.” She moves to get out of the car, but pauses. “Hey, just a heads up, I had to tell Mrs. Potts that we are dating. Sorry.”

Adam smirks over at her, “Just going to tell the whole world aren’t you?” He chuckles.

“Gaston was right there! And I was picking up your books!” Belle defends. 

“It's fine, Belle, don’t worry about it.” He says, still smiling at her defensive nature. It's rather adorable, he thinks to himself.

Belle almost mentioned the bet that Mrs. Potts and her son had going, but she decided against it, thanking Adam for the ride, and heading off to her dorm. She didn’t see it, but Adam sat in his car, staring at her as she walked into the building and out of view, wondering where this whole scheme would take them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just love these characters so much it makes me so happy to finally be writing them.
> 
> also, if you haven't noticed already, my writing is very blunt and to the point. its mostly dialogue, but usually when i read fanfic i just skim and read the dialogue so idk hope its good enough. xx


	3. Chapter 3

“Why did Chip just thank me for the ten dollars I got him?” 

Belle looks up from her book to see Adam sitting across from her at the table where she had been reading. 

She chuckles, feeling her cheeks get warm, “Mrs. Potts and him had a bet going on.” She says, “When we would ‘finally stop bickering and go on a date,’ is what she said.”

Adam laughs, “Well, I'm glad something good has come out of this.”

Belle looks down at her book, placing the old receipt in between the pages and closing it, “I've also gotten Gaston off my back for the past week and a half, so thank you.”

She looks over at him with a genuine smile, and he returns it, before it turns into a smirk. It seemed as if that's all he ever did. But Belle didn't mind. 

“You've also got to call me your boyfriend for the past two weeks, so you're welcome for that too.” He winks.

Belle rolls her eyes, and then studies him for a minute. His tousled hair is a stark contrast to his freshly pressed shirt, and it makes him seem much cooler than he actually is, being as he is the only one who spends nearly as much time in the library as she does.

“Adam, can I ask you something?” At her question, he looks up at her, and nods. “Why did you help me with Gaston? I mean, you could’ve easily told him the truth, or you could have not helped the second time, so why?”

He looks off into the distance as the shelves of books, stays silent for a moment before answering, “I went to high school with him. He seemed to always be competing to be the best, even when no one else was playing. And I saw him harass girls when they refused him.” He finally looks back over to her, “I don’t want to see him doing that to you.”

Belle can’t help it, she smiles at him. It warms her heart to think that he endure this for her. 

He pulls out a book from his bag that he was carrying when he came in, and sets it open to read. She takes his queue and reopens her own book, and they sit there for a good half hour, silently reading their own books.

Eventually, Belle stands up from the table. “I've been reading for about three hours, I should go back to my dorm and study for a test I have tomorrow.”

Adam stands up too, “Ok, I'll walk back with you, I need to head over to the administrations building.”

They both exit the library, quietly talking about the weather, their studies, and other nonsense things. Belle thinks to herself that it’s nice to actually talk to him. It seems as if she’s known him for a long while, but never truly got to know him. 

They almost make it to Belle’s dorm when suddenly, Adam spins her around and holds onto her shoulders.

"Gaston is coming, and I'm going to kiss you now." He states.

Belle's eyes widen, "Wha—"

She doesn't get a single word out before Adam crashes his lips to her, and wraps one arm around her waist while the other reaches up to her cheek. A warm feeling floods through her, and she instantly wraps her arms around his midsection, letting her hands float across the muscles of his back.

The other time they had kissed, it was short, simple, sweet, but this, this held a passion that Belle didn't even realize she could feel.

She let one hand stray up his neck and into his hair, causing him to let out a strangled groan, as if he'd been trying with all his might to keep it in.

It lit a fire within her.

But then, he moves away, but only slightly; instead bring his lips to the side of her face, making a trail of kisses as Belle's eyes fell shut again, her breathing ragged, and her arms still clutching onto him.

"Is he gone?" Adam whispers between kisses, tucking a curl behind her ear.

Belle opens her eyes, taking a sideways glance down the park sidewalk. A few meters away, she sees Gaston's fleeting figure, going in the opposite direction.

She nods, looking back up at Adam. His eyes are so blue. Why has she never noticed before? And his hair is wild and unkempt from herself, and she stares in awe at him, as if she was seeing him for the first time. 

In a way, she was. They never took the time to notice things about the other when they were always bickering.

Adam stands frozen, watching as Belle watches him, when suddenly she pulls his head back down to her level and kisses him again. 

It's urgent, as if she's trying to tell him something that he can't quite place. He eagerly responds with his own lips, wrapping his arms around her, holding on to her for dear life. 

Belle isn't sure why she did it, but she’s happy she did, as she runs her hand through his hair again, and kisses him harder. She doesn't have much experience with this, but Adam doesn't do anything but kiss her back, so she wonders if maybe he wants this too, whatever it is.

They kiss for another moment, before Belle breaks away, realization dawning on her as to what she just did. 

“I… I…” She tries. “I'm sorry!”

Before he even knows what's happening, Belle is fleeing in the direction of her dorms and Adam is left standing, speechless and wonderstruck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm a writing machine!! ive been writing so much in the past 72 hours. buuuut this is as much as i've planned out. ive written so many different ways this could go, and i haven't figured out how i want this to go yet haha. so it might be a little bit of a longer wait for the next chapter. until then!! xx


	4. Chapter 4

Much to the dismay of Adam, it had been an entire week and a half and he had yet to see Belle, anywhere. 

True, he didn’t have any classes with her, being as he was a Business major and she an English, but throughout the entire semester he had frequently seen her in the library. They practically knew when the other would be there as well as they knew their own schedule. He knew it was on purpose, too. She obviously was going to the library when she knew he wouldn’t be there, avoiding him as much as possible.

As sad as he was that he hadn’t been able to run into her, he was also furious. How dare she kiss him, then refuse to answer his texts and avoid him as if he were the plague? 

He couldn’t be angry for too long, though, because truthfully, he just wanted an explanation. Did she like him? That opened up too many possibilities, and made his head spin with questions. Did he like her?

It didn’t take him too long into her absence to realize he missed her. By the end of the week, he finally admitted to himself the truth: he liked her. A lot.

He liked the way her face turned serious as she focused while reading, the way she stormed off in a huff after she lost one of their many book arguments, the way she would laugh if he said something funny. He liked helping her, and seeing her smile, and dammit, where was she?I

It had been 10 days since he had last seen Belle, and Adam was in the library, watching the front doors more than he was studying. He sighed, staring down at the words in his textbook that didn’t seem to want to make their way into his memory. 

He shut his book and walked out of the library. Studying would do no good today. 

The November air continues to get colder as the weeks go by, and he buries his chin into his scarf. The campus is quiet; everyone is either in class or in their dorm. No one wants to be outside unless they absolutely have to, unlike the summer months when study groups commence on the grassy grounds.

He almost makes it to the parking lot where he left his car when Plumette walks past him. Normally, he wouldn’t give Plumette more than a friendly hello, but after she passes, he pauses, before calling out to her.

Plumette is Lumiere’s girlfriend, so naturally, Adam knows her well, since his friend can't seem to go anywhere without her. They seem to have prolonged the honeymoon phase of the relationship for nearly an entire year. 

He also knows that she shares a dorm with Belle.

“Plumette!” 

She turns to look back at him. She walks surprisingly fast for someone wearing heels, so he has to jog to catch up to her. 

“Adam?” she asks, raising her sunglasses to the top of her head, confused. 

“I need your help.” He says, “I need help with Belle.”

Plumette’s eyes widen; she obviously knows what he's talking about. The two were close, so there was no doubt that Belle had told her. 

She narrows her eyes, “Help?” 

“She won't respond and she keeps avoiding me and I know you know about the kiss and you've got to help me.” He rambles. 

She stares at him for a minute, before replying, “And why should I help you?”

“Because I like her.” He blurts.

Plumette smiles, and digs through her purse for a pen and a piece of paper, quickly scribbling something on it, before handing it to Adam, “I just needed to make sure you wanted to get ahold of her for the right reasons. Here's the room number and floor, you know which building right?”

He nods, and she grins at him, before walking off. 

He practically runs to her dorm.

\------------

Once he gets to the room, he pauses before knocking. Is he sure he wants to do this? Tell her he likes her? What if she didn't feel the same?

Before he could stop himself, he was knocking on the door. 

He hears movement inside the room, and soon enough, Belle opens the door, letting out an audible gasp at the sight of him. She keeps her hand on the door knob, hiding herself against it.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, looking anywhere but him, making his heart stutter.

“I came to see you.”

“Why?” she says, “To tease me?”

“No!” Adam says quickly, “I wanted to talk to you.”

Belle’s hand tightens on the door knob, shaking her head, “I don't really feel like talking, I need to study…” she says, going to shut the door. 

“Belle, wait!” His arm reaches out to hold the door open.

Her wild eyes finally reach his and they are filled with stress and sorrow and something Adam can't put his finger on, nor does he want to.

“What do you want, Adam?”

To kiss you again, he thinks, before taking a deep breath, “I just— I just need to know why you kissed me.”

Belle winces, “I, I don't know.” 

Adam reaches out, and gently takes one of her hands in both of his, running his thumb across her hand, feeling the smoothness of it. 

“Belle…” He is out of words, he doesn't know what to say.

He wants to tell her. Tell her that he likes her, adores her, so that maybe, he can kiss her again. And hold her hand, and read with her, and be with her every waking second of every day. 

He looks deep into her eyes, hoping that maybe she can see what he wants to say, without him explicitly saying it. His nerves seem to dissipate when he stares at her, though, her brown eyes shining at him. Suddenly he feels as if he can do anything. 

“Belle, I like you.” He says quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.

He watches as she goes from sad and embarrassed, to confused, as the realization dawns on her. 

She looks away though, looks down at the floor. But the hand that is held by his, gives Adam a slight squeeze, barely noticeable, yet he couldn't have missed it. 

She doesn't say anything, so he talks again, “I want to kiss you, again.” he states, smiling weakly. 

Suddenly, her arms slide up over his shoulders, one hand sliding into his hair as the other gripped the back of his neck, her lips on his. It takes him by surprise, but Adam is beginning to enjoy these unexpected kisses very much. He grips her waist, and pulls her as close as he can, moaning when she slides her tongue into his mouth, devouring him. He doesn't seem to mind. 

She lets out a moan herself, and oh, he doesn't mind at all.

They break for air a few moments later, but her arms never leave him, as she roams her hands down his chest before sliding them around his waist, laying her head next to where his heart is beating rapidly, much like hers. He strokes her hair as he peppers kisses across her face. 

“I didn't want to admit it to myself.” Belle says quietly. “If I admitted that I liked you, it would change everything. And I didn't know how you would react, so I just avoided you. I'm sorry.”

Adam shakes his head, “I don't mind. I'm just glad I'm ran into Plumette. I'm glad that I’m here.”

Belle lifts her head from his chest, “Plumette?” she squeaks, “How much did she tell you?”

Adam narrows his eyes, “Next to nothing, but I think I should give her a call…. What did you say to her?”

Belle laughs nervously, “Oh, it really is nothing, just a midnight rant about the kiss, a loud, late night love confession, a few choice words about your hair— really is nothing, I find it unnecessary for you to call her.”

“My hair?” Adam asks incredulously.

“It's the softest hair I’ve ever seen.” Belle states simply.

Adam chuckles, pressing a kiss to her lips again. 

If only he had known at the beginning of the semester, how wonderfully amazing Belle is, maybe instead of teasing her book tastes and getting under her skin, he could've spent the autumn kissing her and making her laugh. It filled his heart with pure happiness, and he reminds himself that the next time he sees Gaston, he should really thank the man for sending Belle straight into his arms. Literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry i suck at endings omfg i'm thinking of writing an epilogue (i feel like i need to have gaston appear once more you know??) so keep your eyes pealed 
> 
> but hey, if i find the time i might end up writing like a prequel of sorts to this. so basically adam and belle fighting all the time hahah. also maybe a chapter about belle's thoughts after the kiss??? idk comment if you'd be interested!! 
> 
> as always thanks for reading!! xx

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! xx


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